 Superstar Will Smith rages against the machines in this mind blowing, sci-fi action thriller! In the year 2035, technology and robots are a trusted part of everyday life. But that trust is broken when a scientist is found dead and a skeptical detective (Will Smith) believes that a robot is responsible. Three Laws of Robotics:
Despite its Three Laws programming, as VIKI's artificial intelligence evolved, so too did its interpretation of the laws. VIKI decided that in order to protect humanity as a whole "some humans must be sacrificed" and "some freedoms must be surrendered", as "you charge us with your safekeeping, yet despite our best efforts, your countries wage wars, you toxify your earth, and pursue ever more imaginative means of self-destruction". Storyline: Set in a future Earth (2035 A.D.) where robots are common assistants and workers for their human owners, this is the story of "robotophobic" Chicago Police Detective Del Spooner's investigation into the murder of Dr. Alfred Lanning, who works at U.S. Robotics, in which a robot, Sonny , appears to be implicated, even though that would mean the robot had violated the Three Laws of Robotics, which is apparently impossible. It seems impossible because.. if robots can break those laws, there's nothing to stop them from taking over the world, as humans have grown to become completely dependent upon their robots. Or maybe... they already have? Aiding Spooner in his investigation is a psychologist, Dr. Susan Calvin, who specializes in the psyches of robots. Written by Austin4577@aol.com Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Martin Liebman on March 12, 2008 -- When does a personality simulation become the bitter mote of a soul? --- What happens when a classic tale founded on Isaac Asmiov's hardcore science fiction becomes a Hollywood big budget Will Smith sci-fi/action vehicle? The answer is 2004's I, Robot, a movie that definitely won't please audiences looking for a faithful reproduction of the famed author's work. Directed by Alex Proyas (Dark City), one of the better but perhaps lesser-known directors of this era, I, Robot falls somewhere between smart science fiction and mindless action. He weaves a tale that's both entertaining and deep, keeping the action up front but the more intellectual aspects of the story slightly veiled so as to never overwhelm the viewer with too much technical or psychological jargon. This approach works, and so does the movie. With a nearly perfect blend of exciting, death-defying action, top-notch special effects, mostly smart dialogue (with a few Will Smith witticisms thrown in) and some mind-bending intellectual concepts, it's no wonder that I, Robot enjoys mass appeal across a broad spectrum of movie goers. In 2035 Chicago, mankind has become a slave to automation, depending on highly advanced, synthetic humanoid robots to do their bidding, from cooking and cleaning to running back home for a forgotten item. Built by the conglomerate U.S. Robotics, each robot is programed to follow three simple laws that are guaranteed to prevent them from becoming a harm to mankind. Detective Del Spooner (Will Smith, I Am Legend) is one man who is inherently suspicious of the robots and prejudiced towards these non-living, soulless entities. When the co-founder of U.S. Robotics, Dr. Alfred Lanning (James Cromwell, The Queen) commits suicide, Spooner and his liaison inside the corporation, Susan Calvin (Bridget Moynahan, Lord of War) discover a robot hiding in Lanning's office. This machine, named Sonny, is wired unlike any other, with advanced programming that allows him a certain "leeway" to operate outside the three laws and behave more like a human than a robot. Spooner and Calvin begin to piece together the mystery of this robot and a deeper conspiracy at the very heart of U.S. Robotics that could lead to humanity truly becoming a slave to the whim and will of machines. What we get with I, Robot, after the excellent action sequences, is a pretty deep morality tale about trust, understanding, compassion, respect, and the dangers of placing too much faith in technology. Granted, the message isn't as profound as some of the more thought-provoking movies in recent memory like Gone Baby Gone, The Matrix, or Gattaca, but there's definitely room for post-movie thought and discussion, after you talk to your friends about the fantastic CGI, action sequences, and your new pair of Converse tennis shoes, of course. There is a reveal partway through the film that begins to tie everything together, and from there on we begin to understand the ethics, fears, and animosity Spooner harbors towards the mechanical beings. I, Robot definitely has a lot of positives going for it, and other than a rather bland performance by Bridget Moynahan, it makes for a solid two hours of fun, engaging, loud, and even intellectually stimulating entertainment. It's strange giving rave review after rave review recently, but if the studios keep churning out top- notch product, I'm more than happy to continue writing glowing reviews. I, Robot proves once again that Fox is one of the leading studios currently producing Blu-ray content, both in terms of the quality of their films and the quality of the discs they release. Even though this movie doesn't stay very true to the stories of Isaac Asimov, it's still a great thrill ride, replete with plenty of exciting action, fantastic visuals and special effects, and a very good story. Fortunately, all of this is presented in a spectacular Blu-ray package that rivals anything on the market today. The audio and video qualities are second to none, and the special features are comprehensive and presented in a new, groundbreaking way. I generally don't give out the highest of recommendations unless the movie scores a perfect 5 with me, but I'm going to bend that rule on this one. I, Robot on Blu-ray receives my highest recommendation. [CSW] -4- I rejected the story line completely as implausible when I first saw this in 2008. Later I discovered the "Zeroth Law" which not only made the story line plausible but actually allowed me to consider this a good movie. Cast Notes: Will Smith (Del Spooner), Bridget Moynahan (Susan Calvin), Alan Tudyk (Sonny), James Cromwell (Dr. Alfred Lanning), Bruce Greenwood (Lawrence Robertson), Adrian Ricard (Granny [as Adrian L. Ricard]), Chi McBride (Lt. John Bergin), Jerry Wasserman (Baldez), Fiona Hogan (V.I.K.I.), Peter Shinkoda (Chin), Terry Chen (Chin), David Haysom (NS4 Robot / NS5 Robot), Scott Heindl (NS4 Robot / NS5 Robot), Sharon Wilkins (Woman), Craig March (Detective). IMDb Rating (06/28/10): 7.0/10 from 96,592 users
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